Cicilline Bill Honoring Rhode Island Hero Moves to President’s Desk

Friday, June 29, 2018

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate last night approved passage of H.R. 4685, introduced by Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) last December, to rename the U.S. Post Office located at 515 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island, as the “First Sergeant P. Andrew McKenna Jr. Post Office.”

“Sergeant McKenna’s life, sacrifice, and legacy serve as an example of the patriotism and sense of shared purpose that make our country so strong,” Cicilline said. “I thank my colleagues in Congress for their overwhelming support in honoring a true American hero. This dedication will serve as an enduring reminder of not just the ultimate sacrifice Sergeant McKenna made in defense of our nation, but also his values and strength of character that embody the very best that the town of Bristol and State of Rhode Island can offer.”

A Bristol native and Army Green Beret, 1st Sergeant P. Andrew McKenna, who dedicated seventeen years of his life in the U.S. Army, died August 7, 2015 during a late-night Taliban assault on Camp Integrity, a special forces complex in Kabul, Afghanistan. Sergeant McKenna’s heroic actions likely prevented the deaths of many soldiers also stationed there. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for Valor in Combat, the nation’s third highest decoration for valor, for his bravery and selflessness on that fateful day.

Sergeant McKenna graduated from Mount Hope High School in 1998 and joined the Army as an infantryman just a month later. He graduated magna cum laude from Norwich University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in strategic studies. He completed five tours of duty in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, and he had announced plans to pursue a master’s degree once his deployment concluded.

Cicilline first met Sergeant McKenna in 2015 at the Bristol Fourth of July Parade, where he thanked him for his service. He remains in contact with Sergeant McKenna’s parents, Carol and Peter, who he had the honor of hosting for President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union Address in 2016.